Home Office

Asylum: Housing

Lord Beecham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what requirements to support asylum seekers and refugees are included in the contracts with suppliers of accommodation for those people; and what steps they are taking to monitor contractors’ performance in this and other respects.

Lord Bates: COMPASS Contract Providers are required to provide safe, habitable, fit for purpose and correctly equipped accommodation to comply with relevant mandatory and statutory requirements in relation to housing. This includes the Housing Act 2004 and the Decent Homes Standard.Asylum applicants are provided with signposting support services as soon as they arrive at their dispersed accommodation with information and advice that they need in order to cope with the new environment in which they are being accommodated. The focus of this support is the accommodation provided, individual safety, the operating instructions for equipment, facilities and installed items provided for comfort and general living. Service users are also given advice on access to healthcare and how to register with the nearest GP practice or attendance at the nearest hospital in case of immediate medical concerns.The Home Office has a rigorous contract compliance regime in place including monthly meetings with providers, and quarterly and biannual strategic meetings. Home Office contract compliance teams scrutinise providers’ services on a daily basis (via inspections, monitoring customer service and administrative audit) and they are supported by Home Office Service Delivery Managers. The Home Offices governance regime which is subject to Government oversight through quarterly reports to the Cabinet Office ensures that contracts and providers are well managed.

Asylum

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the Court of Appeal’s ruling in Lord Chancellor v Detention Action [2015] EWCA Civ 840 regarding the Detained Fast Track, what steps they are taking to ensure that immigration officers can process asylum claims quickly and efficiently.

Lord Bates: On 2 July the Minister for Immigration temporarily suspended the operation of the Detained Fast Track policy. The operation of this policy will resume when the Minister is satisfied that revised structures and safeguards are in place . For those who can be detained in line with general detention policy, the Home Office continues to detain and decide asylum claims quickly under Detained Asylum Casework .

Asylum

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to seek to amend the Dublin Regulation (European Union Regulation 604/2013) and the Eurodac system.

Lord Bates: The Government has no plans to change the way in which we apply the current Dublin and Eurodac Regulations. The right of initiative to propose amendments to the Regulations lies with the European Commission: any proposals are subject to negotiation by Council and the European Parliament.

Asylum: Finance

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will give an assurance that no asylum seeker, whatever their status, will be denied the necessary support to avoid destitution.

Lord Bates: We are committed to fulfilling the UK’s international obligations to meet minimum standards for asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute until their asylum claim has finally been determined. These minimum standards are met through the support provided under section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, usually in the form of accommodation and a weekly cash allowance of £36.95 to cover essential living needs.

Immigration

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what efforts they are making to recognise and meet the genuine need those attempting to enter the United Kingdom at Calais; and what efforts they are making to contribute to finding solutions to the problems arising out of large-scale global migration.

Lord Bates: The UK and French Governments have been working together closely for many months to address the situation in northern France, and are committed to resolving it together.The declaration signed by the Home Secretary and the French Interior Minister, on 20 August, cements a comprehensive programme of work between our two countries.As part of this, the two Governments agreed that there will be increased observation in the camp in Calais to identify those migrants who are especially vulnerable or potential victims of trafficking. A system for transferring those who are especially vulnerable to places of safety and to offer those people advice and support will also be put in place, within broader arrangements the Republic of France already has.The UK is also playing a leading role in pushing for comprehensive, long-term action through the EU and the UN to tackle the causes of illegal immigration and the organised trafficking gangs behind it, as well as increasing support and protection for those who need it in North and East Africa.

Private Rented Housing

Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect to publish the evaluation of the West Midlands pilot scheme that requires landlords to check the immigration status of tenants.

Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect to roll out the scheme for landlords to check the immigration status of tenants to Scotland, and over what period.

Lord Bates: The Government is considering the findings of an evaluation of the first phase of the right to rent scheme. The Government has also sought the views of experts in the private rented sector which will be considered together with the findings in deciding when and where the scheme is rolled out further. The Government will make a formal announcement in due course.

Visas: Overseas Students

Lord Stevenson of Balmacara: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in (1) the period from 1 January to 30 June 2015, (2) 2014, and (3) 2013, how many credibility interviews of potential international students were undertaken by UK Visas and Immigration; in which countries those credibility interviews took place; and what percentage of students who had been issued with a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies and were subject to a credibility interview were refused a visa to study in the United Kingdom.

Lord Bates: The number of point of application credibility interviews of Tier 4 applicants conducted by UK Visas and Immigration during the time periods requested can be found in the table below. All of these interviews were conducted via video conference by staff based in the UK.We are unable to provide information on the percentage of students issued with a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies; interviewed and subsequently refused Entry Clearance. We do not hold this data in a format which would allow us to answer the question, and have estimated that to obtain the necessary information would incur disproportionate cost.We are able to provide the overall refusal rates for student applications for the time periods requested.Number of Tier 4 credibility interviews conducted*PeriodInterviewsApr-13 to Dec-13102,635Jan-14 to Dec-14125,580Jan-15 to Jun-1517,330 *Data is taken from unpublished management Information and is therefore subject to change.   Overall refusal rates for Tier 4 applicationsQuarterRefusal rate Q2 20138%Q3 20135%Q4 201313%Q1 201415%Q2 20147%Q3 20145%Q4 201411%Q1 201514%Q2 20155%

Immigrants: Detainees

Lord Ramsbotham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what audit procedures are performed across the immigration detention estate to ensure that the requirements of Detention Services Order 13/2012 regarding the transfer of medical records when transferring detainees between detention centres, or removing them under escort, are carried out.

Lord Ramsbotham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what audit procedures, if any, exist under the Detention Centre Rules 2001, or other detention centre rules, to monitor the preparation and presentation of medical records and discharge summaries to detainees on release or unescorted removal; if such procedures exist, what were the results of the audit or audits in the most recent 12 months for which figures are available; and if such procedures do not exist, whether they plan to take steps to put such procedures in place.

Lord Bates: Operating Standards and contracts for service providers in the immigration detention estate require them to operate a schedule of self audit to include compliance with the Detention Centre Rules 2001, Operating Standards and Detention Service Orders.Since 1 September 2014 the preparation and presentation of medical records and discharge summaries to detainees on release or unescorted removal is the responsibility of service providers commissioned by NHS England. NHS England’s national specifications for healthcare commissioned in Immigration Removal Centres requires providers to have in place a programme of annual audit in line with their organisation’s clinical governance framework.The first annual audits under the new arrangements have not yet taken place.

Asylum: Pregnant Women

Baroness Cumberlege: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the light of the report by Maternity Action and the Refugee Council When maternity doesn’t matter: dispersing pregnant women seeking asylum, they plan to publish revised guidance on procedures for dispersing and accommodating pregnant women seeking asylum in the United Kingdom.

Lord Bates: The revised guidance will be published shortly.

Home Office: Telephone Services

Lord Quirk: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Home Office has target times by which members of the public can reasonably expect to get through on the telephone and speak to an official; by what percentage extent there has been a change over the past three years in the number of telephone calls from the public seeking information or assistance from the Home Office; and what training in communication skills is provided for the officials in that Department.

Lord Bates: The largest volumes of calls in the Home Office are handled by HM Passport Office and UK Visas and Immigration. The Home Office does not publish centrally collated figures for call handling.HM Passport Office calls are either handled directly through its commercial partner Teleperformance or at one of the in-house call centres in Liverpool and Southport. Both Teleperformance and the in-house call centres aim to answer 80% of calls in 30 seconds.UK Visas and Immigration calls are handled either directly at the in-house call centres in Croydon and Sheffield, or through one of two commercial partners, HGS and Sitel. UKVI in-house Contact Centres aim to answer the majority of calls in three minutes.All commercial partner and in-house staff undergo an assessed foundation training course; which includes modules around required knowledge, communication, effective questioning and call control.

Afghanistan: Immigration

Baroness Coussins: To ask Her Majesty’s Government which United Kingdom authorities are participating in the scheme to receive relocated Afghan interpreters.

Lord Bates: To date 17 local authorities have received relocated Afghans under the Afghan Locally Engaged Civilian Ex Gratia Scheme. It would not be appropriate for us to release details of where individuals are currently being placed or where they may be placed in the future, as this may undermine their privacy.

Asylum

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether adults in receipt of five-year humanitarian protection in the United Kingdom will be allowed to work; and what provision will be made for their education or training.

Lord Bates: People who have been granted five years’ humanitarian protection in the United Kingdom, including Syrian nationals admitted under the Vulnerable Persons Relocation (VPR) scheme, have permission to work and access to broadly the same rights, benefits, education and training as British nationals.

Refugees

Lord Eames: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what conversations they have had with the devolved administrations about plans to resettle Syrian and other refugees in the United Kingdom.

Lord Eames: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what consultations they have had with relevant charitable relief organisations based in the United Kingdom about the future resettlement of Syrian and other refugees in the United Kingdom.

Lord Eames: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to involve charitable relief organisations in the long-term arrangements for resettling Syrian and other refugees in the United Kingdom.

Lord Bates: The plans to resettle refugees, in particular under the expanded Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation scheme announced on 7 September, will be a national effort involving all parts of the UK.The Prime Minister and First Minister have already exchanged correspondence on the issue and the Home Secretary and Secretary of State for Scotland will work closely with the Scottish administration on the arrangements for resettling refugees, with a Home Office official attending the Scottish refugee taskforce. Further discussions are intended with representatives of the administrations of Wales and Northern Ireland.We are consulting a range of external partners and charitable organisations on refugee resettlement options and they will need to play a full part in the success of the expanded scheme.

Kids Company

Baroness Benjamin: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of what has happened to the trafficked young people who were being helped by Kids Company to obtain the necessary legal documents required to attend a United Kingdom university.

Lord Bates: The welfare of the young people who used Kids Company services continues to be of primary concern and we are working closely with local authorities to make sure they have access to the support and services they require. Under the Children Act 2004 local authorities have a statutory duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children in need of protection, including trafficked children. Under these arrangements, looked after children are provided with access to all their needs be they in relation to education, accommodation, psychological or health. Local authorities co-ordinate the arrangements for each looked after child to ensure they are safeguarded and have their welfare promoted.

Undocumented Migrants: Calais

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the number of possible jihadists amongst the migrants at Calais attempting to enter the United Kingdom.

Lord Bates: The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) supports the Government and law enforcement agencies by analysing and assessing all intelligence relating to international terrorism at home and overseas. It would not be appropriate to comment on those assessments, but the Government can give an assurance that JTAC continuously assesses the threat to the UK and its interests from international terrorism in whatever form that threat takes.

Undocumented Migrants: EU Countries

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether there are jihadists amongst the migrants entering Hungary, Austria and Germany.

Lord Bates: The Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) supports the Government and law enforcement agencies by analysing and assessing all intelligence relating to international terrorism at home and overseas. It would not be appropriate to comment on those assessments, but the Government can give an assurance that JTAC continuously assesses the threat to the UK and its interests from international terrorism in whatever form that threat takes.

Asylum

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will issue fresh guidance on the Dublin III Agreement concerning asylum applicants, in particular about family reunions.

Lord Bates: The Government has no plans to change its policy on the application of the Dublin and Eurodac Regulations. Guidance to officials is under review in order to reflect current organisational structures and wider departmental procedures: an updated version will be published once the review has been completed.

Leader of the House of Lords

House of Lords Composition

Lord Grocott: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by the Leader of the House on 7 September (HL Deb, col 1212), whether they will publish the statistics on which they base the statement that the Government face a combined opposition of 80 Peers, which is twice the size faced by the last Labour Government.

Baroness Stowell of Beeston: At the end of the 2009-10 session, of those peers eligible to take part in the work of the House of Lords there were 211 Labour members, 185 Conservative members and 72 Liberal Democrat members – meaning there were 46 more peers sitting on the benches of the two largest political parties in opposition than there were peers on the Government benches. As of 18 September, of those peers eligible to take part in the work of the House of Lords there are 223 Conservative members, 211 Labour members and 101 Liberal Democrat members – meaning there are 89 more peers sitting on the benches of the two largest political parties in opposition than there are peers on the Government benches.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Lord Jopling: To ask the Leader of the House what explanation she has received from the Ministry of Justice about the failure to answer Lord Falconer of Thoroton's Question for Written Answer tabled on 21 July, before Wednesday 9 September, 25 working days after an answer was due.

Baroness Stowell of Beeston: My office makes regular contact with all Government departments that are unable to meet the 10 working day target within which to answer Questions for Written Answer. Every effort is made to address delays and to remind departments of their responsibilities to Parliament.I have recently taken the opportunity to discuss the need for timely answers with all members of the Government front bench in this House, and written to the five departments with the greatest proportion of late responses in the 2014/15 session to make clear the House’s expectations and to stress the importance of timely responses. My office will continue to work with all departments to ensure prompt and satisfactory answers to Questions for Written Answer.The delay in the particular case to which the noble Lord refers related to delays in gathering the required data. The question tabled by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 21 July has now been answered.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Syria: Refugees

Lord Mawhinney: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of how diplomatic and political relations with France would be affected if they continue with their policy of admitting to the United Kingdom for resettlement only those refugees from Syria who are presently in camps near that country.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Relations with France on migration issues continue to be strong. At the end of July, we hosted a joint inter-ministerial conference in London to discuss how we can tackle migration pressures upstream (including from Syria) together. The Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), and the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), have been in close touch with their French counterparts in recent weeks. We share a moral responsibility to help refugees and Britain is playing its part. UK ships remain in the Mediterranean and have rescued 6,700 people. The UK is contributing more than £1billion to tackle the humanitarian crisis in Syria and we will resettle 20,000 Syrian refugees over the next five years.

Israel: Palestinians

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel following the decision of the Israeli Supreme Court of 6 July to allow the construction of a section of the separation barrier though the Cremisan Valley.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv have raised the issue of the separation barrier though the Cremisan Valley with the Israeli authorities on several occasions, most recently during the week beginning 31 August.

Israel: Palestinians

The Lord Bishop of Southwark: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the viability of a two-state solution in Israel and Palestine following the decision to resume construction of the separation barrier in Beir Ona, near the Cremisan Valley.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The British Government approved the local press statement issued by the EU representatives on 19 August, which reaffirms the EU Member States' opposition to Israel's settlement policy and actions taken in this context, such as building the separation barrier beyond the 1967 line, demolitions and confiscation - including of EU funded projects, evictions, forced transfers including of Bedouins, illegal outposts, settler violence and restrictions of movement and access. On 10 September the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), and the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), made clear to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu the UK’s deep concerns over issues which would put in serious jeopardy the prospect of a viable Palestinian state.

Capital Punishment

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the moral and philosophical case for them making representations to foreign governments on the use of the death penalty in their countries.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns: The British Government is opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances and calls on all states to adopt a moratorium on the use of the death penalty in accordance with UN General Assembly resolution 186 adopted in December 2014. This is part of the process towards complete abolition. The UK’s own experience showed that the death penalty did not deter crime, and miscarriages of justice were irreversible and irreparable. Where we judge that an execution is incompatible with international law or marks a backward step, we raise our concerns privately and publicly.

Northern Ireland Office

IRA

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the status, structure and operational capability of the Provisional IRA.

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to remove the Provisional IRA from the list of proscribed organisations.

Lord Dunlop: I refer the Noble Lord to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland’s remarks to the House of Commons on 8 September 2015 which set out the Government’s and the Chief Constable’s current assessment of the Provisional IRA (PIRA).We have no plans to remove PIRA from the list of proscribed organisations.The Government has made clear that there is no place for any paramilitary group in a democratic society. Issues arising out of continued paramilitary activity and remaining structures need to be urgently addressed in cross-party talks, and that is our priority.

Department for International Development

Darfur: Internally Displaced People

Lord Avebury: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what information they have about (1) the levels of malnutrition and disease among children in each of the camps for internally displaced people in Darfur, and (2) the plans of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs to deal with those problems.

Baroness Verma: The executive summary of the comprehensive survey undertaken by UNICEF of nutrition and health indicators in camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Darfur, funded by DFID at the end of 2013, is available online. This survey confirms that overall levels of nutrition and health in Darfur IDP camps continue to be of concern, for example 44% of children in Zamzam camp in North Darfur were recorded as suffering from stunting. Indicators for camps in North and Central Darfur are generally worse than camps in other areas; however the health and nutrition situation for IDPs located in camps tends to be better than the situation for resident and displaced populations in other parts of Darfur located outside of camps. A follow up survey, to be partially funded by DFID, is planned to take place in mid-2016.  The United Nations (UN) Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has played a central role in developing the Sudan 2015 Humanitarian Response Plan which aims to address the humanitarian needs of up to 5.4 million vulnerable people in Darfur and other parts of Sudan and appeals for funding of £650 million to achieve this. In line with agreed strategic objectives, OCHA coordinates the activities of in country partners, including other UN agencies and national and international non-governmental organisations and allocates funding received through the appeal to humanitarian projects across Sudan, such as those to tackle disease and malnutrition. DFID is the third largest humanitarian donor in support of this appeal.

Syria: Humanitarian Aid

Lord Judd: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to improve access for humanitarian agencies to deliver aid to civilian populations in Syria.

Baroness Verma: The UK is committed to supporting the most vulnerable people in need inside Syria wherever they are, in accordance with international humanitarian principles. The UK co-sponsored and lobbied hard for UN Security Council Resolutions 2165 and 2191 which enable the UN to deliver aid across border, without the consent of the regime, to assist those in the hardest to reach areas.

Ministry of Justice

Civil Proceedings: Legal Costs

Lord Lester of Herne Hill: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the light of their consultation on costs protection in defamation and privacy claims, they plan to introduce a new costs protection regime to help people and organisations of modest means to bring and defend defamation and privacy claims; and if so, when they plan to.

Lord Faulks: The Coalition Government consulted on introducing a costs protection regime for defamation cases in 2013. This Government is considering the way forward.

Magistrates' Courts

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of whether the present changes to the number and locations of magistrate courts meet the interests of witnesses, in particular regarding their privacy and protection.

Lord Faulks: No decisions have been taken relating to the number and locations of magistrates’ courts and all responses to the ongoing consultation on the court estate will be carefully considered before any decisions are made. Our programme of courts reform will create a more modern and efficient service which works better for victims and witnesses. Witnesses could particularly benefit from such arrangements as we seek to expand existing provision such as video links meaning witnesses do not have to attend court in person increasing their privacy and reducing risk.

Ministry of Justice: Telephone Services

Lord Quirk: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Ministry of Justice has target times by which members of the public can reasonably expect to get through on the telephone and speak to an official; by what percentage extent there has been a change over the past three years in the number of telephone calls from the public seeking information or assistance from the Ministry of Justice; and what training in communication skills is provided for the officials in that Department.

Lord Faulks: Since April 2015 the average answer time for calls to the Public Enquiry Line has been 28 seconds. The Ministry of Justice does not have set target times for call answering. Calls to the MoJ public enquiry line have decreased steadily since 2012. Volumes reduced by 40% between 2012 and 2015. Regular training is held for staff for on call handling and customer service.

Criminal Cases Review Commission

Lord Beecham: To ask Her Majesty’s Government by how much in real terms funding for the Criminal Cases Review Commission has been cut since 2010; and what assessment they have made of the impact of such a reduction on the working of the Commission.

Lord Faulks: Since 2010 the Criminal Cases Review Commission’s budget has been reduced in real terms by 26%. Since 2010, the Commission has improved its performance, closing 947 cases in 2010/11 and 1,632 cases in 2014/15.

Courts: Interpreters

Baroness Coussins: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what the timetable and process will be for reviewing, publishing and awarding the contract for the provision of court interpreters, when the current contract expires at the end of 2016.

Lord Faulks: Provision of interpretation and translation services across courts and tribunals is being explored in preparation for the end of the current contracts in October 2016. A competition to retender the contract is expected to be launched in due course.

Department for Culture, Media and Sport

Broadband: South West

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Neville-Rolfe on 30 July (HL1682), what assessment they have made of the rate of progress in improving superfast broadband provision in Devon and Somerset; and what is their assessment of the impact of that progress on regional economic performance.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: By the end of the Connecting Devon and Somerset Phase 1 project (December 2016) over 277,000 additional homes and businesses will have access to superfast broadband. As of 30 June 2015, 121,343 premises had gained access to superfast broadband due to this public investment. Connecting Devon and Somerset have signed a contract with Airband under their Phase 2 contract to extend superfast coverage to an additional 4,794 premises across Exmoor and Dartmoor. Roll-out to these premises will start in February 2016 and is to be completed by November 2016. Assuming completion of the announced commercial coverage, a further 106,725 premises in Devon and Somerset would remain without superfast coverage.  The economic impact of superfast broadband coverage is assessed in the study published by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in November 2013 at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-broadband-impact-study--2

BBC World Service: North Korea

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the BBC’s decision to inaugurate broadcasts to the Korean peninsula.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: No such assessment has been made. The BBC's proposals published in 'British, Bold, Creative - The BBC’s programmes and services in the next Charter', including its ideas for the future of the World Service, will be an important part of the Charter Review process the Government is running.

Dealing in Cultural Objects (Offences) Act 2003

The Earl of Clancarty: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether there have been any prosecutions under the Dealing in Cultural Objects (Offences) Act 2003.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: There have been no prosecutions to date under the Dealing in Cultural Objects (Offences) Act.

Art Works: Sales

The Earl of Clancarty: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will take steps to ensure that buyers of art and antiques, including from dealers and auction houses, receive information about the provenance of such objects, including documentation of previous owners.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The UK has made it a criminal offence to deal dishonestly in tainted cultural property and issued guidelines to help UK dealers and auction houses consider the relevant issues such as ensuring good provenance of cultural objects in which they deal. However, the Government believes that regulating trade in art and antiquities is primarily the responsibility of the art and antiquities trade itself. The established trade associations possess codes of ethics by which they expect their members to abide and we expect the associations to enforce those codes strictly.

Department for Work and Pensions

National Insurance Credits: Carers

Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what further steps they propose to encourage up-take of Carer’s Credit by those who are caring for others for 20 hours or more per week and who do not qualify for Carer’s Allowance.

Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to assess all data held by the Department for Work and Pensions to identify those who may be eligible for Carer’s Credit with a view to introducing a media campaign to increase public awareness of entitlement to it.

Baroness Altmann: Ahead of the introduction of the new State Pension in April 2016, we are specifically encouraging people to find out how they could increase their new State Pension, including through National Insurance credits. This includes encouraging people who are eligible but may not be claiming carer’s credits at the moment. We are working with the media, local authorities, the NHS, voluntary organisations and charities, including carers’ organisations to promote material, including fact sheets and videos, ensuring the right information and advice is available on carer’s credits. The Department does not hold information that would allow us to identify individuals who might be eligible for the carer’s credit. We use a range of methods to signpost the carer’s credit to individuals who contact us about other benefits who might be potentially eligible, including when someone has claimed but is not entitled to Carer’s Allowance. Departmental officials promote the carer’s credit at carers’ events, including Carer’s Week, and amongst support organisations. Information on the credits is available on the government’s website GOV.UK and also on carers’ organisations websites.

Carer's Allowance

Baroness Manzoor: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people receive Carer’s Allowance in relation to care for a recipient of Employment Support Allowance who is (1) in the support group, and (2) in the work-related activity group.

Baroness Altmann: None. Payment of Employment and Support Allowance is not one of the benefits that can “trigger” payment of Carer’s Allowance.

Ministry of Defence

Middle East: Armed Conflict

Lord Ahmed: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the level of collateral damage from air strikes and drone strikes in the civilian areas in Syria and Iraq.

Earl Howe: As far as we are aware, there have not been any civilian casualties resulting from UK strikes against ISIL.

Department for Communities and Local Government

Network Rail: Planning Permission

Lord Krebs: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, or any other legislation, confers on local planning authorities powers to enforce conditions that they have imposed upon Network Rail when approving a planning application.

Lord Krebs: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, or any other legislation, confers on local planning authorities powers to enforce speed restrictions they have set as a condition of granting planning approval to Network Rail.

Lord Krebs: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, or any other legislation, confers on local planning authorities powers to enforce sound and vibration monitoring requirements they have set as a condition of granting planning approval to Network Rail.

Lord Krebs: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, or any other legislation, confers on local planning authorities powers to enforce a requirement to install rail dampers to reduce noise that they have set as a condition of granting planning approval to Network Rail.

Lord Krebs: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, or any other relevant legislation, confers on local planning authorities powers to enforce limits on the number of day and night movements of freight and passenger trains that they have set as a condition of granting planning approval to Network Rail.

Lord Krebs: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what guidance they give to local planning authorities about the time period that should be included in a reasonable planning scenario for applications from Network Rail.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Where development is proposed and requires a planning application, local planning authorities have broad powers to impose conditions and enforce where they consider that conditions have been breached. Conditions must meet the policy test in the National Planning Policy Framework which states that planning conditions should only be imposed where they are necessary, relevant to planning and to the development to be permitted, enforceable, precise and reasonable in all other respects. Whether enforcement action against breach of a condition is justified is a matter of their discretion for Local Planning Authorities.

HM Treasury

Landfill Communities Fund

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the decision to give Landfill Communities Fund contributions by Viridor regarding the Beddington landfill site to the Wilton Music Hall in Tower Hamlets and All Saints Church in Kingston, which are not situated in the communities affected by that site.

Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The Landfill Communities Fund allows a landfill operator to gain a tax credit against 90 per cent of the voluntary donations it makes to environmental bodies for spending on certain prescribed objectives. The restoration of a building of historic interest or place of religious worship within the vicinity of a landfill site is one of these objectives. ENTRUST, the regulator of the Landfill Communities Fund publishes guidance which describes the vicinity of a landfill sites as within approximately 10 miles of a site. The works at Wilton Music Hall and All Saints Church fall within this range.

Landfill Communities Fund

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether charities that distribute Landfill Communities Fund money should be wholly independent of waste companies bidding for contracts with waste authorities.

Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The Landfill Communities Fund (LCF) allows landfill operators to claim a 90 per cent tax credit on voluntary contributions made to Environmental Bodies, for spending on certain prescribed objectives.   Environmental Bodies do not need to be charities but they must be non-profit making, and not controlled by the landfill operator or a local authority. Environmental Bodies are also precluded from using funds for the benefit of the contributing landfill operator.   All LCF-funded projects undertaken by Environmental Bodies are approved by ENTRUST, the regulator of the LCF, to ensure they meet the requirements of the scheme. Details of all projects approved by ENTRUST are published on their website.

Economic Situation: Greece

Lord Dykes: To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they are next meeting representatives of other European Union member states to discuss the procedures in the Greek emergency financial recovery plan.

Lord O'Neill of Gatley: While Greece remains in the euro, its financial stability is the responsibility of the euro area. Ministers and officials routinely meet with international counterparts to discuss economic and financial issues within the euro area and wider European Union, including ongoing financial assistance programmes.

Public Expenditure

Lord West of Spithead: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether decisions on the next Comprehensive Spending Review will be taken before the outcome of the next Strategic Defence and Security Review.

Lord Bridges: The Spending Review will be published on 25th November, and work is currently underway on the National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) which we expect to publish before the end of the year. These reviews will be closely aligned, recognising that economic security and national security are two sides of the same coin.   At the Summer Budget, the Government committed to increased spending on defence and security, and to meet the properly measured NATO pledge to spend 2 per cent of GDP on defence every year of this decade. The allocation of a Joint Security Fund of up to an additional £1.5 billion per year by 2020/21, available to the Armed Forces and Security and Intelligence agencies, will also be based on the conclusions of the SDSR.

Banks: Regulation

Lord Mawson: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the estimated cost to the British economy of the Financial Conduct Authority’s policies on the banking sector.

Lord Mawson: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the Financial Conduct Authority’s regulation of the banking sector, and of the impact of its regulation on banks’ ability to respond to the needs of customers.

Lord Mawson: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what changes the Financial Conduct Authority has implemented regarding the setting up of bank accounts for customers in the United Kingdom over the past year; and what assessment they have made of the impact of such changes on the time it takes to set up a bank account in the UK.

Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is operationally independent from Government and carries out its functions within the framework of statutory objectives and duties agreed by Parliament. This includes requirements to publicly consult and perform cost benefit analysis on their relevant rules and policies. These questions are therefore a matter for the FCA as an independent regulator.   The questions have been passed on to the FCA. The FCA will reply directly to the Noble Lord by letter. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Banks: Taxation

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to help small lenders to compete effectively with the larger banks, in the light of the new bank corporation tax surcharge.

Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The banking tax roadmap set out at the Summer Budget means that banks will end up paying a corporation tax rate which is the lowest in the G7 and lower than at any time under the last Labour government. There is also an allowance in the surcharge for the first £25 million of a banking group’s profits, reducing the impact on smaller banks and excluding many altogether.  The Government is committed to improving competition in banking to improve outcomes for consumers. Challenger banks play a crucial role in providing consumers with more choice on the high street.   The Government has already taken significant action to improve competition in banking and create an environment that reduces barriers to entry and incentivises new banks to enter the market. This includes:   driving the delivery and supporting the continued success of the Current Account Switch Service and Midata, so customers can compare personal current accounts and switch banks where they see a better deal – simply, quickly and reliably;committing at Budget 2015 to deliver an open standard to Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) in UK banking – as well as helping customers engage more with their bank, it will drive innovation and increase competitive intensity by supporting the growth of technology that can be used by banks and non-bank providers to offer new products;improving competition in the small and medium sized enterprise (SME) lending market by requiring the major banks to share SME credit data with other lenders through designated credit reference agencies, and to offer any SMEs they turn down for finance the chance to have their details passed to online platforms that can help match them with alternative finance providers;announcing at Summer Budget 2015 that the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will establish a joint New Bank Unit to help prospective new banks enter the market and through the early days of authorisation – the PRA and FCA will also produce annual reports on how they are delivering against their respective competition objectives;putting competition at the heart of the regulatory system by creating the new Payments System Regulator to ensure challenger banks can access payment systems on fair and equal terms – the Government has also created a single, stronger competition regulator: the Competition and Markets Authority.

Revenue and Customs: Telephone Services

Lord Quirk: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord O’Neill of Gatley on 30 July (HL1654), whether HM Revenue and Customs has target times by which members of the public can reasonably expect to get through on the telephone and speak to an official; and by what percentage extent there has been a change over the past three years in the number of telephone calls from the public seeking information or assistance from that Department.

Lord Bridges: As stated in an earlier response (HL897), HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) publishes its performance data quarterly on the gov.uk website.   HMRC handles 50 million calls a year from customers. It aims to answer 80 per cent of all calls and accepts that it is not currently delivering on that aspiration. HMRC published a press release on 25 June in which it apologised for the poor service, acknowledged that some customers were struggling to get through on the telephone and outlined a number of initiatives it is putting in place to improve performance.

Public Expenditure: Northern Ireland

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have advised the Northern Ireland Executive of the control totals available to it for financial year 2015–16; if so, when that advice was communicated to the Northern Ireland Executive; and what response was received.

Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The Chief Secretary to the Treasury regularly advises the Northern Ireland Minister for Finance and Personnel of the Northern Ireland Executive’s current control totals through correspondence, including any changes which need to be incorporated through the course of the year following fiscal events and Estimates rounds. There are also regular discussions between officials. There is no formal requirement for the letters to be acknowledged by Northern Ireland Ministers.

Public Expenditure: Northern Ireland

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Governmentwhat is the financial difference between the control totals for the Northern Ireland Executive for financial year 2015–16 and the budget passed by the Northern Ireland Assembly in July 2015.

Lord O'Neill of Gatley: I refer the noble Lord to the answer (HL839) that I gave to him on 7 July 2015 with regard to the Northern Ireland Executive’s control totals for 2015-16. Details regarding the budget passed by the Northern Ireland Assembly are published by the Department of Finance and Personnel in Northern Ireland, and by the Assembly itself.

Public Expenditure: Northern Ireland

Lord Empey: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to allow the Northern Ireland Executive to spend in excess of its control totals for financial year 2015–16.

Lord O'Neill of Gatley: I refer the noble Lord to the answer (HL321) that I gave to him on 8 June 2015.

Spirits: Excise Duties

Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the Health Impact Assessment of the two per cent cut in spirits duty announced in the March 2015 Budget.

Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The Government published its assessment of the impacts of the spirits duty change in the Tax Information and Impact Notes published alongside the Budget document. Copies of Budget related documentation are available in the Printed Paper Office.

Financial Services

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the results of the Confederation of British Industry's quarterly survey of the financial sector, what steps they are taking to reduce the cost of red tape and to support the growth of the business sector.

Lord O'Neill of Gatley: The government has committed to supporting business sector growth in the Enterprise Bill, which will set a target of cutting £10 billion of red tape over the next five years.   The productivity plan: “Fixing the foundations: creating a more prosperous nation” launched in July 2015 outlines an number of steps the government is taking to support the growth of the business sector, including cutting red tape.

Fuels: Tax Evasion

Lord Laird: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much duty has been lost in each of the last five years as a result of fuel laundering in South Armagh.

Lord O'Neill of Gatley: No specific assessment has been made of the loss of revenue specifically due to fuel laundering in South Armagh to the UK each year.   The government is committed to reducing revenue loss due to fuel duty fraud and HM Revenue and Customs works closely with the Revenue Commissioners in the Republic of Ireland and others to fight fuel fraud on a wide range of fronts. This includes regular exchange of information, joint operational activity and the recent implementation of an improved new marker for rebated fuel (which was also introduced in the Republic of Ireland).

Cabinet Office

Bills: England

Lord Wills: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Stowell of Beeston on 29 July (HL1727), whether they plan to conduct an assessment of the number of bills in each of the three most recent parliamentary Sessions that affected England alone and had no implications for any of the other nations in the United Kingdom; and if not, why not.

Lord Wills: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Stowell of Beeston on 29 July (HL1727), why they have not conducted an assessment of the number of bills in each of the previous five Parliaments that affected England alone and had no implications for any of the other nations in the United Kingdom.

Baroness Stowell of Beeston: The Government has not performed, and does not intend to perform, a retrospective assessment of bills introduced over the last Parliament because under the Government’s proposals on English Votes for English Laws, the application of the proposed new rules to future legislation will be a matter for the Speaker of the House of Commons. Decisions on certification will be a matter for Parliament and will apply to future legislation. Moreover, the Government's proposals would apply to England and England and Wales-only provisions within bills, as well as bills that are England-only in their entirety.

English Votes for English Laws

Lord Wills: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Stowell of Beeston on 29 July (HL1727), whether they plan to produce an impact assessment of their proposals for English Votes for English Laws; and if not, why not.

Baroness Stowell of Beeston: The Government does not plan to produce an impact assessment for its proposals, which relate to House of Commons procedure. However, given the importance of the Government’s proposed changes, the Leader of the House of Commons has invited the Procedure Committee to review the proposals in operation in order that there is proper scrutiny.

Electoral Register

Lord Rennard: To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bridges of Headley on 3 August (HL1680), whether their discussions with local government and the devolved administrations about bringing forward the full implementation of individual electoral registration (IER) in advance of elections in May 2016 included asking their views in advance of the laying before Parliament of an order to bring forward the implementation of IER by 12 months.

Lord Bridges of Headley: It would not be appropriate to inform these legislatures or bodies about the Government’s approach before advising the UK Parliament. Ministers informed their counterparts in the Scottish Government and Welsh Assembly Government upon taking the decision.

Billing

Baroness Kramer: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many compensation awards were given under section 5A of the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 in each of the last five years.

Baroness Kramer: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many claims for compensation under section 5A of the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 were made against (1) local authorities, (2) NHS providers, including Clinical Commissioning Groups, (3) non-departmental public bodies and (4) government departments, in each of the last five years.

Lord Bridges of Headley: The requested information is not held centrally. As part of the Budget Statement on 18 March 2015, the Government announced that from April 2016 all central government departments and their arm's length bodies will be required to publish, on a quarterly basis, all interest liable under the late payment legislation.  The 2015 Public Contracts Regulations introduced a reporting requirement so that from 2016 contracting authorities will have to publish details of the amount of interest paid due to late payment and from 2017 they will have to publish their liability to interest whether or not paid.

Charities: Inspections

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the case for establishing a new office of Chief Inspector of Charities in England and Wales.

Lord Bridges of Headley: We believe there is no case for a Chief Inspector of Charities. As the independent regulator, the Charity Commission for England and Wales and can intervene where there is serious misconduct or mismanagement or risk to charity property. We are currently strengthening the regulator’s powers to intervene in the Charities (Protection and Social Investments) Bill.

Muslim Brotherhood Review

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty’s Government (1) how the Government-sponsored review of the Muslim Brotherhood, led by Sir John Jenkins, has informed Government policy towards the Muslim Brotherhood; and (2) how much the review cost.

Lord Bridges of Headley: The findings of the Muslim Brotherhood Review have been considered by Whitehall Departments in a process led by the National Security Adviser. It has illustrated some of the challenges posed by those whose views may be seen to contribute towards creating the space for more extreme views to flourish. The Government is continuing to develop our broader policy response on this.  The costs of the review were absorbed in routine administrative spend with the exception of Sir John Jenkins’ travel which amounted to £8791.79. The Government sought to save travel costs as far as possible through working through our network of Embassies and High Commissions; packaging regional travel to avoid more expensive fares from London; and hosting international partners in London.

Kids Company

Lord Ouseley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of what has happened to the children previously cared for by Kids Company.

Lord Bridges of Headley: The wellbeing of the young people previously supported by Kids Company continues to be our top priority. Since the closure, Local Authorities have been reviewing the cases handed to them by Kids Company to determine the support services the young people require. Funding is being made available to local authorities to support the transition of Kids Company young people to other services.

Iraq Committee of Inquiry

Lord Black of Brentwood: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much Sir John Chilcot has been paid in daily allowances and expenses since the establishment of the inquiry into the Iraq war.

Lord Bridges of Headley: Sir John Chilcot is paid a fee of £790 for each day worked. His three Committee colleagues are paid £565 for each day they work. According to the Inquiry’s website, since the Inquiry began in 2009, remuneration for the Committee and its advisers totalled £1,565,700 up to the end of the last financial year.

Department of Health

Fluoride: Drinking Water

Earl Baldwin of Bewdley: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the statement in the 2015 systematic Cochrane review Water fluoridation for the prevention of dental caries that the authors’ confidence in evaluating fluoridation’s effectiveness was limited by there being "very little contemporary evidence, meeting the review’s inclusion criteria", and by "the high risk of bias within the studies and, importantly, the applicability of the evidence to current lifestyles".

Lord Prior of Brampton: The results of the 2015 ‘Cochrane Review’ Water fluoridation for the prevention of dental caries’, Iheozor-Ejiofor et al, Feb 2015 are broadly consistent with those from other systematic reviews conducted over the past 15 years in concluding that this public health measure is, as the Cochrane authors state, “effective at reducing levels of tooth decay in both children’s baby and permanent teeth.”   The Cochrane review used specific and relatively narrow criteria requiring that studies include baseline measures of dental caries in two communities, one of which then introduced fluoridation within three years. This approach had the consequence of excluding numerous studies conducted over the past 25 years which compared dental caries levels in fluoridated and non-fluoridated communities. The Cochrane reviewers acknowledge in their report that there may be concerns regarding the exclusion of these studies from their review.   The Cochrane review analysed studies conducted in different ways at different times in different places, finding consistent reductions in levels of dental caries following the introduction of fluoridation. The term ‘bias’ used in the Cochrane review has a specific scientific meaning relating to controlling for other factors such as dietary habits that might have affected the levels of dental caries in the populations studied. The reviewers recognise that this bias “may occur in either direction”.   Relatively recent studies which did not meet the reviewer’s specific inclusion criteria have continued to find substantial dental benefits of water fluoridation. Public Health England’s (PHE) recent Monitoring Report (2014) looked at fluoridated and non-fluoridated communities in England and found that communities served by water fluoridation schemes continue to show lower levels of tooth decay.   A copy of PHE’s report is attached. 



PHE Water Fluoridation Monitoring Report
(PDF Document, 100.05 KB)

General Practitioners

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many GP practices have been closed in (1) England, and (2) London, since 2010.

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many GP practices have been merged or taken over in (1) England, and (2) London, since 2010.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The Department does not hold information in the format requested. Figures on closures, mergers and takeovers are collected in total, but are not separable.

Electronic Cigarettes

Lord Blencathra: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to promote the use of e-cigarettes as a replacement for smoking tobacco.

Lord Prior of Brampton: Electronic cigarettes have the potential to help smokers quit smoking, and the evidence indicates that, for smokers, they are less harmful to health than cigarettes. However, they are not risk free, and therefore they should only be used as a means to help smokers quit. The best thing a smoker can do is to quit completely.   For those that cannot stop using nicotine completely, or need help not to relapse, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance already promotes the use of harm reduction strategies using a range of nicotine replacement therapies.   Any smoker wanting to quit, with or without the help of an e-cigarette, is advised to seek expert advice and support from their local stop smoking service. Smokers using the personalised support offered by stop smoking services are four times more likely to stop smoking and quit for good.   All smokers, including those who want to use e-cigarettes to help them quit, can sign up to Stoptober to receive additional help and support.

Obesity

Lord Pendry: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have calculated the cost of obesity to the NHS; and whether they will put in place preventative schemes to reduce childhood obesity.

Lord Prior of Brampton: An analysis of the economic burden of a range of risk factors for chronic disease estimated that overweight and obesity cost the National Health Service £5.1 billion per year. We will put forward our plans for a childhood obesity strategy before the year end.   A copy of the analysis The economic burden of ill health due to diet, physical inactivity, smoking, alcohol and obesity in the UK: an update to 2006-07 NHS costs is attached and available at: http://jpubhealth.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2011/05/11/pubmed.fdr033.full.pdf+html 



Economic Burden of ill health analysis
(PDF Document, 119.18 KB)

Diabetes: Refugees

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assistance they are providing to refugees in the United Kingdom who suffer from diabetes.

Lord Prior of Brampton: Refugees who have been granted asylum status are eligible for services from the National Health Service on the same basis as the general population. This includes access to primary medical care and any specialist diabetes treatment and care required.

Diabetes: Homelessness

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assistance they provide to homeless people who suffer from diabetes.

Lord Prior of Brampton: All commissioners have a responsibility to tackle health inequalities. Co-commissioning will help clinical commissioning groups, working with their local authority colleagues, identify and address health inequalities that arise in hard to reach groups such as the homeless population.

Fluoride: Drinking Water

Baroness Gardner of Parkes: To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have plans to make representations to Manchester City Council to give further consideration to fluoridation of the water supply in Greater Manchester; and whether any such representations will take account of the lower level of tooth decay amongst children in Birmingham, where the water supply has been fluoridated since 1964.

Lord Prior of Brampton: It has been the policy of successive governments that decisions on water fluoridation are best taken locally. The Health and Social Care Act 2012 gave powers to upper tier and unitary local authorities to make proposals in relation to fluoridation.   In 2014 Public Health England published a water fluoridation health monitoring report which showed lower levels of tooth decay in areas with water fluoridation.   Public Health England has also, in 2014, published an evidence informed toolkit for local authorities to support them in planning, reviewing and commissioning oral health improvement interventions for children and young people, including the potential role of water fluoridation.

Health: Finance

Lord Greaves: To ask Her Majesty’s Government how the proposed £200 million reductions in the public health budget will be distributed; what proportion will be to (1) central funds, and (2) local public health authority funds; by what formula the allocation of spending reductions amongst local authorities is distributed; and what advice they plan to give to local public health authorities about which services or activities should carry the reductions.

Lord Prior of Brampton: We are committed to implementing these savings in a way which will minimise any impact on services. We consulted from 31 July to 28 August 2015 on the best way of delivering the required savings, which will be applied to local authorities’ public health grant allocations, and are currently considering responses.

Hepatitis: Vaccination

Baroness Suttie: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their current policy on hepatitis vaccinations in the United Kingdom, in particular the implementation of a universal hepatitis B vaccination as part of the UK childhood immunisation schedule.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The hepatitis B vaccination is currently recommended for individuals considered to be at increased risk of complications from the disease or exposure to the virus such as injecting drug users, patients with chronic liver disease and families adopting children from countries with a high or intermediate prevalence of hepatitis B.   The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, the independent expert committee that advises the government on all immunisation matters, has recommended that a universal infant hepatitis B vaccination should be introduced subject to procurement of a hexavalent (6 in 1) vaccine at a cost effective price. The outcome of the competitive tender exercise that is currently underway is expected to be known mid 2016.

*No heading*

Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what the Department of Health is doing to improve the access of elderly patients to effective cancer treatments.

Lord Prior of Brampton: We recognise that there is room for improvement in cancer outcomes for older patients. The independent Cancer Taskforce recognised the needs of older cancer patients as a key theme in its report, and NHS England is working with partners across the cancer community to better understand both the causes of the variation in cancer outcomes, and looking at action we can take now to address it. NHS England is also in the process of developing metrics to track improvements in cancer outcomes for older people as part of the development of the cancer dashboard recommended by the independent Cancer Taskforce.

*No heading*

Lord Willis of Knaresborough: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the availability of data collected via the Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy (SACT) dataset to organisations outside the NHS; and whether they plan to consider how to improve access to SACT data, including publishing a timeline for when it should be fully accessible.

Lord Prior of Brampton: Public Health England (PHE) is aware of the considerable interest in the Systemic Anticancer Therapy (SACT) dataset by organisations outside of the National Health Service and plan to enhance the public reporting of the data in the near future.   The absolute priority of PHE is to maintain patient confidentiality and therefore data will only be released to external parties in a format that does not compromise patient confidentiality either directly or by inference. It is not possible to provide a timeline of when data would be fully accessible.

*No heading*

Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made by the Alcohol Network on the Responsibility Deal.

Lord Prior of Brampton: There were 131 partners in the Responsibility Deal Alcohol Network, who signed up to a range of voluntary Responsibility Deal pledges on alcohol and committed to help people drink within the lower-risk alcohol guidelines.   Under the previous Government, Responsibility Deal Alcohol Network partners committed to a 2012 pledge to remove 1 billion units of alcohol sold annually from the market by December 2015, principally through improving consumer choice of lower alcohol products. A 2014 interim monitoring report of progress against this pledge estimated that between 2011 and 2013 the number of units of alcohol removed from the market exceeded this target two years ahead of target date, showing there was a reduction of 1.3 billion units due to reductions in alcohol by volume of alcohol products.   Also under the previous Government, Responsibility Deal Alcohol Network partners committed to a pledge to have 80% of bottles and cans displaying unit content, the Chief Medical Officer’s (CMO) lower-risk guidelines and by the end of 2013 a warning about drinking when pregnant. A 2014 independent report by Campden BRI found that 79.3% of labels provided all three elements correctly. The report also assessed market share by total amount of alcohol sold to allow comparison of progress since 2008 (trend data). This found that unit information increased by 22%; the CMO’s lower-risk drinking guidelines by 314%; and pregnancy warnings boosted by 122%.

*No heading*

Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town: To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to reduce the number of cancer diagnoses related to alcohol.

Lord Prior of Brampton: The 2012 Government’s Alcohol Strategy, aims to cut the number of people drinking at harmful levels.   Since April 2013, a dedicated alcohol risk assessment has been included as part of our free NHS Health Checks for 40 to 74 year olds so people can get advice and information to help them cut down if they need to.   The Chief Medical Officer, Dame Sally Davies, is overseeing a United Kingdom-wide review of all alcohol guidelines which will include reviewing any new evidence on alcohol and potential harms, so that people can make informed choices about their drinking at all stages of their lives.   Warnings about the potential links between alcohol and a range of medical conditions including different types of cancer are included on the NHS Choices website at: www.nhs.uk